In response to growing concerns over deceptive political fundraising practices, New Jersey State Senator Vince Polistina has introduced the Political Donation Transparency Act. This proposed legislation aims to protect donors from misleading tactics that result in unauthorized recurring charges to their credit cards or bank accounts.

The Issue at Hand

Recent reports have highlighted instances where individuals believed they were making a one-time donation to a political candidate, only to later discover that their accounts were being debited regularly without their explicit consent. In some cases, donors intended to support one candidate but found their funds directed elsewhere.

For example, some contributors thought they were donating to President Donald Trump, only to learn that their money was going to an unknown candidate. Such deceptive tactics exploit well-meaning supporters, particularly elderly donors who may not notice recurring deductions until months later.

The concern is that many donors don’t realize they have signed up for an automatic subscription model, where contributions are withdrawn monthly or even weekly. Campaigns sometimes pre-check donation boxes, making recurring payments the default option unless donors manually opt-out.

Specific Allegations in New Jersey

In the New Jersey gubernatorial race, candidate Jack Ciattarelli has accused his opponent, Bill Spadea, of employing such deceptive fundraising methods.

Chris Russell, a strategist for Ciattarelli’s campaign, stated:

“It’s not surprising these folks are mad at being ripped off, especially when they learn that he has a history of putting fundraising dollars directly into his own pocket.”

This accusation references Spadea’s involvement in a nonprofit organization, the Common Sense Club, which allegedly paid him $65,000 before he officially became a candidate.

Polistina has also pointed to a recent Politico report detailing how these misleading subscription-style fundraising tactics have misled donors into giving money to campaigns they never intended to support.

The Political Donation Transparency Act

In response to these unethical fundraising tactics, Senator Vince Polistina has introduced the Political Donation Transparency Act, which aims to:

Ban Pre-Checked Boxes: Prohibit the use of pre-selected options that automatically enroll donors in recurring contributions.

Require Explicit Consent: Campaigns must obtain clear and affirmative consent from donors before setting up recurring charges.

Impose Strict Penalties: Violators will face severe penalties, preventing campaigns from exploiting donors.

Polistina emphasized the importance of protecting elderly and working-class donors, saying:

“An 85-year-old grandmother just trying to support a candidate she believes in shouldn’t have to worry about being tricked into draining her savings account.”

He further described these deceptive tactics as a “predatory practice that has no place in democracy.”

A National Problem

The issue of misleading political fundraising extends beyond New Jersey.

Across the U.S., numerous organizations have used charitable-sounding names to solicit donations, only for the funds to be redirected to political action committees (PACs).

For example, the American Breast Cancer Coalition was exposed for misleading donors into believing their money would help fight cancer, when in reality, the funds were linked to political campaigns.

This trend has raised serious concerns about transparency and ethics in political fundraising. Many organizations exploit donors’ trust, leading to calls for stricter regulations nationwide.

How Donors Can Protect Themselves

To avoid falling victim to political fundraising scams, donors should follow these precautions:

Review Donation Forms Carefully: Always check if the contribution is one-time or recurring before finalizing payment.

Monitor Bank and Credit Card Statements: Regularly review transactions to ensure there are no unauthorized charges.

Donate Directly Through Official Campaign Websites: Avoid third-party sites that may misrepresent how donations will be used.

Check Campaign Transparency Reports: Use watchdog organizations to verify whether a campaign has a history of misleading fundraising tactics.

By staying informed and vigilant, donors can protect themselves from predatory fundraising schemes and ensure their contributions support their intended causes.